* How do I undo this mistake

[peterbel]

I have managed to create a duplicate record of an individual and the complication is that copy 1 is the father of copy 2 ! To make it worse the father copy is the root of my tree so lots of relations follow. I am still searching for the correct individual to replace the father with.
What would be the best way of starting to correct my mess?

[tatewise]

If you have not closed FH yet, then use the Edit > Undo command as many time as necessary.

Alternatively, use the File > Backup/Restore > Revert to Snapshot and choose a GEDCOM Snapshot Taken before the upset.

If that is not suitable then show the Father & Son in the Focus Window, then right-click the Son and Unlink Record.
Then you should be able to delete the unwanted copy.

[peterbel]

Thanks Mike,
Unfortunately it is not a recent mistake so the Undo methods will not work.
I am not sure if your delete option will either. He is one of a list of siblings, which are correct, linked to the incorrect 'father'
Could I replace the father with a new record, 'John Unknown Father', pending finding the correct individual?
Once he has been displaced I could then delete the duplicate incorrect father record?

[tatewise]

As you can imagine it is almost impossible for me to visualise your family tree problem without a picture.

Could you post a screenshot of an All Relatives Diagram focussed on the father or perhaps the son, whichever gives the best explanatory view of the problem, and explain what relationships are in error.

You can 'privatise' the Diagram by choosing a Text Scheme with perhaps Name Only details, but it would be essential to add the Record Id, or even just the Record Id and no Name at all. Do you need help with that?

[peterbel]

Of course, a picture is worth....etc.
I have created the diagram using the BMD template replacing the name with the Record ID.
Record 1408 is incorrect and is in fact a duplicate 1406 so needs to be deleted.
I am concerned that if I deleted 1408 the sons and daughters would have no connections either, hence my suggestion to replace 1408 with 'AN Other' until I have the correct individual.

Capture.JPG (70.86 KiB) Viewed 1261 times

[tatewise]

Presumably, you have edited either 1406 or 1408 since duplicating them as they don't have identical facts.
e.g. 1406 has no Death event.

In real terms, they are not duplicates, but two completely independent Individual records.

Deleting 1408 should do no harm and the children will still be linked as siblings.
But why bother? Just change the Name of 1408 to Unknown and delete the Facts if you like.

I had got the impression that the 'mess' was worse than that.

So the only relatives are the descendants of 1408, and when you find the correct father you can simply fill his details into the 1408 record.

[peterbel]

Yes it was adding the death I realised the anomaly, that 1406/8 had the same Baptism date.
Ok that is reassuring, make him Unknown and update when I find the correct details, thanks again.